Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth takes questions from reporters during a news conference at the Pentagon on Nov. 10, 2026.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The House has voted 211 to 204 to refer the articles of impeachment filed against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to committee, effectively killing the impeachment effort spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
Tuesday’s vote short-circuits any potential floor vote on the articles of impeachment, and virtually guarantees the measure will not be taken up before the current session of Congress expires.
The vote provided a surprise reprieve for President Trump’s embattled Defense Secretary, who was facing an impeachment vote by the full House as early as Wednesday.
Massie reintroduced the articles of impeachment on Monday, accusing Hegseth of high crimes and misdemeanors in connection to the war with Iran and U.S. strikes against Iran and on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Massie’s impeachment resolution sought to oust Hegseth over the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional authorization, and the effort to punish Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for a video telling service members they can refuse illegal orders.
Hegseth defended himself against the impeachment effort during a rare press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday, criticizing Massie as a “disgruntled and defeated congressman.”
“I stand behind every one of these operations,” Hegseth said. “I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow.”
On Monday, Trump expressed support for Hegseth during a wide-ranging, impromptu press briefing at the White House.
“I’ll stand by him,” Trump said. “He won two wars. He was in charge. We all won.”
The impeachment measure was Massie’s second attempt against Hegseth. He first sought to bring the impeachment resolution to the floor before the midterm elections, prompting Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to call an early recess to avoid the vote. That caused the resolution to expire, which is why Massie reintroduced the resolution again this week.
While the impeachment push may be quelled for now, Hegseth’s troubles on Capitol Hill are not over. Democrats have promised vigorous investigations into Hegseth’s Pentagon once they assume the majority in January.
Whether they will mount another impeachment effort remains unclear, but in an interview with NPR last week, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to be the next Speaker of the House, said simply of Hegseth, “He’s got to go.”